According to a recent Department of Justice report, 84% of Indigenous women (native to the United States and Alaska) have experienced violence, 56% have been victims of sexual violence, and over 90% of said violence has been inflicted by a non-tribal individual. In comparing the plight of Indigenous women to those within the rest of the United States, they not only have the highest rate of forcible sexual assault, but their domestic violence AND murder rates are up to 10 times higher than the rest of the United States.

Here are five fast facts about Rebecca Nagle, the Indigenous activist who is steadily combating this epidemic:

1. She’s a card-carrying member of the Cherokee Nation who identifies as a queer two-spirit woman. Two-Spirit is a contemporary umbrella term used by indigenous North Americans who occupy the role of a third-gender within their respective communities.

2. She is the co-founder and co-director of FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, a survivor-led, nationally recognized “creative activist collaboration to upset the culture of rape and promote a culture of consent”. You can learn more about FORCE here.

3. In 2012 and 2013 she was named to Fast Company’s list of 100 Most Creative People.

4. With the assistance of FORCE co-founder Hannah Brancato, she created The Monument Quilt in May of 2013 to establish “a public healing space by and for survivors of rape and abuse”. To date, over 1700 survivors have contributed to the quilt and it’s been displayed in 28 cities throughout the United States. You can learn more about The Monument Quilt here.

5. She was named one of the National Center of American Indian Enterprise Development’s 2016 Native American 40 Under 40 for her tireless efforts in addressing violence against Indigenous women.

To keep up with her continued extraordinary work and advocacy, follow Rebecca on Twitter.

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